Mud Inspiration
Her long dark hair floated in the wind as she chirped and sung with joy about her crops.Her hands and her heart are at home in the mud and greens. "I hear God in the garden."I wanted to bottle it all up and make a perfume. Their farm-house full of cool furniture and functional spaces. Their family of eight. Their menagerie of chickens, roosters, horses, rabbits and giant dog. Their passion for Jesus and His church. Their homeschooling. Their self-sustaining farm. Their transparent sharing of pains and joys. Their row of mud boots by the back door.At the end of the day my little family went home with organic eggs, muddy clothes, and hearts full of dreams.She inspired me. She inspires me still._ _ _I felt the absence.Not once. Not even when the conversation begged for it. Not a hint.She never said anything like, "You could do this too."I wanted her to. I wanted to hear how this super-mom got through each day. But she didn't respond to my prompting questions.She joyfully chatted with and adored my two children without any comparison to her six.She graciously served a meal from their garden without any comments about the virtues organics or self-grown.She shared deep insights about motherhood without any proclamations about the importance of homeschooling.In fact, in the over six hours we were with them, she didn't talk about anything that involved comparison of lifestyles. Even when I asked her direct questions she changed the approach. I specifically asked her what each of her crops were and she shyly said something like, "whatever grows well and the family enjoys eating." It was like this all day. I wanted to learn the WHAT and HOW but she kept sharing only the WHY.She is a poster child for all things good. She could author a blog that would gather a mass following. She could tour and speak. She could, at least, be a confident advocate.Instead, she is simply a woman who is living and loving her life. Joie de vivre.She is living for God. To know God. To love life with Him._ _ _"My tomatoes got blight again this year. Two years in a row. I think I'm done with tomatoes. This year I'm going to use that garden section for other things." She smiled as she talked about the failed tomatoes.And in that moment I saw: I want to be just like her.Not necessarily a mother of six. Not necessarily a farmer. Not necessarily a collector of cool furniture.What I want is: to love life like she does.I want the courage to move on from the failed crops in my life. I want to be happy to use that section of my life for other things.I want to fill my life with things that are fruitful and full of joy.As I watched this princess enjoy her kingdom, I was inspired like I've never been inspired before.A reminder to be me. To love and enjoy the things I love and enjoy. To be the mother I am. To be the woman God designed me to be.A life of joy.That's what she should call her blog.Sadly, I am guessing that she isn't ever going to write a blog. She seems to prefer soil under nails, not the keys of a computer like I do. :-)Selah.
The woman to be admired and praised is the woman who lives in the Fear-of-God. Give her everything she deserves! Festoon her life with praises! (Prov 31:30b-31 The Message)